Fly Away From Your Troubles (Klance AU)

25- I Don't Want to Let Go

~Lance's POV~

I turned to face my friends, my family when I was away from mine. Everyone was silent, not knowing what to say, but we were all thinking the same thing. I had to leave now, and they couldn't follow me through security.

"Guys—" I started, but then was cut off by someone tackling me into a hug.

"I'm really gonna miss you," Pidge says, her voice choked. I wrapped my arms around her.

"I'll miss you too, Pidgeon," I said. She didn't even comment on the nickname I knew she hated.

"I can't miss this!" Hunk suddenly says, tears in his eyes. He hugs us both, causing us to fall over in the process. Shiro and Allura both ran over and joined in the hug.

"I'm going to miss you so much. You're like my best friend, Lance," Hunk says. I smiled.

"Thanks guys. I'm gonna miss you all..." I said, hugging my friends tighter.  A minute later we're standing up. I looked over at the one person who didn't join in, who had stayed quiet ever since I told him that I was leaving...

"Keith..." I said, taking a step towards him. The Korean boy didn't respond, his head hung low and bangs covering his eyes. But I knew he had been crying. I approached my boyfriend and wrapped my arms around him. He buried his chin into the crook of my neck, and I reached up and stroked his soft hair.

"I know you're only acting angry so it hurts less," I told him. Keith was breathing hard and his shoulders shook a little.

"Maybe you're right," He whispered, so quietly only I could hear him.

"It's okay..." I started, but Keith pulled away from the hug. His eyes, tears brimming at the sides, locked with mine. I brushed my fingers against Keith's scar. "I love you, Keith." Keith smiled, but his eyes were still sad.

"Yo también te amo, Lance. Con todo mi corazón," He said. I smiled, astonished that he knew how to say that in Spanish. I pulled him in for a kiss, hoping to make it last forever. I felt a tear slide down my cheek.

It ended too soon.

Keith brushed away the tear that had fallen then looked down.

"When... when will I see you again?" He asked, hesitant.

"I'm not sure..." I whispered. I couldn't lie. Keith pulled an envelope out of his pocket, and handed it to me. I took it.

"Open it when you get there," He said. I blinked and tears fell from my eyes. I pulled Keith into a hug for the last time.

"I love you," I choked, a lump in my throat. "I love you so much." We pulled away, both knowing that I had to leave now. I turned to face everyone, smiling sadly.

"Bye, Lance," Keith said as I walked towards the security line. When I turned around they were gone.

- - -

I entered my room in my family's home in Varadero. It still looked exactly the same as when I had left. I hadn't seen my family, or my home, in years, and a small part of me felt happy to be back in the familiar place. But most of me didn't find it so familiar anymore. Over the years, our apartment in Philadelphia had grown to be my home. The apartment where I lived with him.

I threw my backpack onto the bed, and as I did the envelope Keith had given me fell out onto the floor. I picked it up.

For a moment, I hesitated, thinking that I shouldn't open it yet. But then I found myself sliding my nail underneath the flap and pulled out a folded piece of paper. I unfolded it, and a single purple feather fell onto my lap. I picked it up, smiling slightly.

Written on the paper was what seemed to be a letter. I read it carefully. It said:

Lance,

    By the time you're reading this you will be back home, and we'll have said our goodbyes. I'm really not sure what to write, and I don't want to go into anything cheesy because you already know all that. You're probably wondering what the feather is for, which is something to remember me by. I don't know when we'll see each other again, in real life I mean. I hope we can talk sometimes when you aren't too busy. I know there's a small chance that you'll come back, especially anytime soon, but... I don't care how long you're gone, if you ever come back just know that I'll be here. I don't know if you'll feel the same, but I wanted to write this here in case I don't get to tell you before you leave.

I will love you forever. That's a promise.

Hell, that sounded really cheesy. I'm laughing at myself as I write this. But, well, it's also true.

Bye, Lance. I'll miss you.

Love, Keith

I dropped the letter when I finished reading it. My heart was beating fast, and the feather I was still holding trembled because my hands were shaking. You did this to yourself, Lance. The thought repeated in my head like a broken record, over and over again.

You did this to yourself. You chose to leave. Why did you choose to leave? You didn't want to. But my family needed me... I had to leave. I could only hope that I would see Keith again. And if I did, I wouldn't let him go.

A/N:
Not really anything to say here, just that I do have the next chapter almost finished, so it shouldn't be too long a wait.

~Soni